


Yuri!!! on Duty Finder

by Rosetta



Category: Final Fantasy XIV, Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Crossover, M/M, More tags to be added as chapters add up, Multi, Yuri!!! in Eorzea
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-03
Updated: 2017-02-18
Packaged: 2018-09-14 14:14:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 16,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9185252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rosetta/pseuds/Rosetta
Summary: "So um, allow me to confirm that one more time, Lieutenant Nikiforov." The Maelstrom administrator said, staring at the not-yet-signed paper in her hands. "Your Free Company will be named Ice Gays, with the identifier tag iGAYS?" She looked up, and had to hold herself back from hiding under the table as the band of people behind Lieutenant Nikiforov glareddaggersat the handsome Auri man's back."...actually, I think I'll use that for our Linkshell instead, lovely."A collection of shorts about our skaters in Eorzea. The Final Fantasy XIV AU no one asked for becausewhy not.





	1. Duty commenced! Starting Days

**Author's Note:**

> HELLO YES I'M SUFFERING WITHDRAWAL FROM BEING UNABLE TO RAID BECAUSE MY LAPTOP IS CAPPING AT 15 FPS THANKS TO A BROKEN CHARGER. Seriously, after an entire year boarding the _90-fps-or-up_ wind, going as far as below 30 FPS is just crazy painful - and it gets even worse in 24-men! Naturally, being not quite able to properly raid, I need to take my focus somewhere _else_...
> 
> I honest to goodness want to write an entire multichaptered fic dedicated for this crossover, but that means commitment and I already have my hands full with Witching Hour ._.) Perhaps one day I'll actually get into a serious multichaptered Yuri!!! on Eorzea fic, but today is not the day.
> 
> Chapters are not chronological. There will be some name changes to fit lore-compliant naming conventions, but not all of them.

The Limsa Lominsa Aftcastle was bustling with activity, as words about a new Free Company forming spread like wildfire among the Maelstrom ranks.

Administrator Yola Nbolo pinched her own nose, trying to calm herself as she shoved her notebook back under the table for Llymlaen knows how many times now. Her amber-coloured tail whipped around, her nerves bubbling on top of her head and leaking spectacularly through her shaking ears. She had only became an OIC Administrator for the Maelstroms for no more than five days now, and unfortunately her actual working experience so far had only consisted of sending Maelstrom officers to the Quartermaster next to her - apparently people  _still_ thinks the Administrator handles supply distribution, despite it being one of the first things explained to potential company leaders. The administrator's duty is to explain the details of Free Company creation and disbandment, and to help new company leaders set their companies up - and honestly on paper everything seemed so easy, so straight forward. In practice it  _actually_ is just as straight forward, but sometimes Yola found her nerves getting the better out of her.

And Yola's nerves today only multiplied when she observed the amount of  _hysteria_ happening in the Aftcastle.

Normally, as she had observed before when she was still a trainee Administrator, the formation of a new Free Company is something that is big, but not  _big_ big. The front desk was usually the only place busy with  _anything_ \- Free Companies, after all, come and go all the time. It was a broadly accepted fact that adventurers were hard to pin down at one place, and while one Free Company has the same potential as the next one to grow into an important part of a Grand Company, they also has equally big chance to just sizzle into nothingness, and eventually disband.

Thus, it infinitely made her curious (and nervous) why  _this_ particular one was different. The senior Quartermaster was freaking out. The Grand Company Personnel Officer was freaking out.  _Their_ quartermaster was freaking out. Even Commander Rhiki was seen pacing about near the front desk like she was waiting for a long-gone lover or worse. She contemplated asking, but everytime she almost asked, she would just shrink back and wonder if she  _should have already known_.

She took her notebook out again and fiddled with it.

She had  _just_ managed to regulate her breathing when a voice - one that she remembered belong to Lieutenant Trachraet - boomed from the drawbridge. It was probably the first time Yola witnessed the simple utterance (screaming) of  _THEY'RE HERE_ send an entire administrative board into a chaotic reformation, as everyone just  _berserked_ into their proper position. Commander Rhiki dropped her hat when she ran back to her post, the crest distributor crashed at the sanction guy as they tried to go back to  _their_ position, and Yola just wanted to switch hours with someone.  _Anyone_.

\-- _no one_.

The entire room went dead  _silent_ as a group of adventurers walked through their gates, led by a silver-haired Au Ra clad in white and silver armours. It was probably a trick of the light, but to Yola it almost seemed like everything suddenly went _slow motion_ \- is that even possible? The Auri paladin's silvery hair shone as brilliantly as his well-polished shield as he made his way to the OIC desk, a charming smile on his face as he laid his glittering cerulean eyes on the new OIC Administrator.

Then he spoke.

Yola almost bit her tongue when she clenched her jaw shut.

"I'd like to apply for a Free Company creation, please."

His eyes fluttered at her, and Yola could feel her poor heart doing triple backflips and a dive. Oh.  _Oh_. _This_ must be the 'new Free Company' that everyone in the Aftcastle and beyond was hyping about, and only  _now_ did Yola understand  _why_.

"Y-yes, of course, sir, Lieutenant -  _sir_!" She almost stumbled into her desk as she looked into the cabinets for the Free Company formation petition papers. When she finally found them, she  _almost_ slammed them at the table in front of the famously gorgeous First Lieutenant. No one,  _no one_ told her that  _First Lieutenant Victor Nikiforov_ was finally joining a Free Company, much less  _making_ one - no wonder there was so much chaos throughout the morning, she thought. The degree of hysteria that was going around was comparable to that of the one that happened when a fucking legit  _warrior of light_ walked through those very gates to join the Grand Company.

(At some point they got used to the Warrior of Light walking in and out all the time, and the illusion of fame and grandeur eventually calmed down, so they haven't seen the same _level_ of chaos for a long time now.)

But the moment she saw  _who_ was going to lead this Free Company, Yola understood. The First Lieutenant joined them about a year after the Warrior of Light did, and in his entire...three? Four? and a half years of service the gorgeous man had not signed himself under any Free Companies, Maelstrom or not. His skills were unquestionable, apparently honed by over twenty years of experience (which meant he had been battling since he was before  _ten_!), and there were loads of Companies interested in taking him. All invitations, directly given to the man himself or sent as love letters via the OIC, had always ended up rejected, and no one really expected the man to change his mind.

Yes, no wonder there were  _so much chaos_.

"A-A-A-as you probably have known, you are required to provide three signatures apart from your own to finalize the Company Creation," she could barely control her stutters, and it only worsened when she saw the sheer amusement forming on Lieutenant Nikiforov's face. "Oh! I forgot that you are to decide on a name and an identifier tag for your company first!" A small pang of relief formed in her chest when she managed to  _not_ shove the registration paper at the First Lieutenant, who gracefully accepted the papers and an inked quill from the panicking Moonkeeper Admin. "I...if you decide on a later date that the name you pick is no longer fitting, you are always free to change the name as long as it has not been taken by another company, so please do not feel too burdened in regards of the naming process!"

A smile made its way to Lieutenant Nikiforov's face, and the sight almost made Yola choke as she felt her heart did an impossibly high jump.

"Of course, the name." His voice was smooth, deep, and almost like a Wineport Vintage Red special in how it made Yola's blood pump a little bit faster than it probably should. She closely observed the scaly (are those all scales? Part of the horns? Tattoos? Yola couldn't ask) face, how the eyebrows initially relaxed, then curved as the Lieutenant frowned. He finally gave the paper back to the Administrator to sign with a pleasant smile as an extra. Yola shyly smiled back, before she looked at the paper, ready to sign the agreement line.

Then she raised an eyebrow.

_Huh._

"So um, a...allow me to confirm that one more time, Lieutenant Nikiforov." The Maelstrom administrator said, staring at the not-yet-signed paper in her hands. "Your Free Company will be named...Ice Gays, with the identifier tag iGAYS?" She looked up, and had to hold herself back from hiding under the table as the band of people behind Lieutenant Nikiforov suddenly glared _daggers_ at the handsome Auri man's back. Their eyes were so intense, it was almost like their line of sight was burning  _through_ Lieutenant Nikiforov into the back walls of the front desk. Clearly the name didn't quite...stick.

The Lieutenant, although Yola was certain he didn't have eyes on his back, seemed to be moved into reconsidering, too, as he rubbed his finger on his scale-covered chin. His eyes narrowed as he thought, and he tilted his head sideways as he considered his options. Finally, after what felt like _forever_ for Yola, Lieutenant Nikiforov's eyes lit decisively.

"Actually, I think I'll use that for our Linkshell instead, lovely." The Lieutenant took the paper back (Yola was too busy clutching her poor heart before it ran away from her - _did Lieutenant Handsome just call her lovely HOLY LLYMLAEN_ ), crossed the previous name with a clean stroke, and wrote in impossibly tidy cursive the word Young Ice <YOI>, then took a moment to stare at it.

"Maybe we should go with Young Love so we can use the tag YOLO-"

"Victor no."

"Actually I think that's kind of genius, Yuuri."

"I agree. Or we can just always use You Only Live Once-"

"That's stupid. Please don't."

"Technically it's true though, though I guess considering we do savage raids that's rather in poor taste-"

As the group continued bickering, Yola noticed the Lieutenant was already eyeing the paper again. She watched as the Lieutenant crossed his second option too, as he hesitated on writing, and began contemplating again - it was apparent in his eyes. He seemed to have come into a final decision a moment later, however, as a gleeful smile bloomed on his face, and a mischievous glint shone on his bright cerulean eyes. He silently wrote a phrase, an identifier tag, and pushed it to Yola winking. "I'll definitely get them to sign this, so please go on with the name approval," he said. Yola stared at him for about three seconds, then stole a glance at the  _still_ noisy group behind them. The Aftcastle remained silent as inquiring eyes honed at her desk - even the arriving adventurers about to exchange seals at the GC Quartermaster was staring at her.

She gulped, then nodded, before she slammed the Grand Company stamp on the petition paper.

 

* * *

 

Surprisingly, it didn't take long until First Lieutenant Victor Nikiforov returned with the formation fee and the petition paper, bearing three signatures finalizing the formation of the Maelstrom Free Company _History Makers._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess what the company identifier tag is lol


	2. The Woes and Wonders of Katsuki Yuuri

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri Katsuki, 24 years old. Sings like an angel. Drinks like a voidsent. Kills like a twelvesdamned primal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shitfaced Yuuri is stupidly imba DPS Yuuri fite me

Katsuki Yuuri is very normal.

Compared to others who calls themselves part of the infamous Ice Gays linkshell, Katsuki Yuuri is very easily considered the epitome of plain and normal. He was the potion among poisons, the clean sheet of new paper among recycled sheets, the vanilla yoghurt among fruity cupcake flavoured yoghurt-ice cream abominations.

The midlander Hyuran (which makes him part of a racial demography that supposedly makes up over 30% of Eorzea's racial diversity, further adding to his holy normalcy) had never started his adventuring life with prophetic fever dreams that sends him to meet Mother Hydaelyn. He had never undertook special grueling trainings for the sake of understanding ancient texts unlike his best friend black mage, and he certainly had never seriously thought he would one day stand in the same field as some of his dream heroes.. 

All in all, he was but a plain ol' hyuran archer.

Really.

Eventually he became a bard, because he enjoyed singing for friendlies more than singing for foes. It involved a series of tavern-hopping because unless you're the damn Warrior of Light that's what bards do - they sing.

And naturally when you tavern-hop at some point you  _drink,_ and  _hoo boy_ does Yuuri Katsuki  _drink._

Yuuri is a hilariously terrifying drunk.

Of course, it is  _still_ considerably normal for a perfectly sweet cinnamon roll to turn into a salty wrinkled liquor-doused bread upon intoxication, so despite his eventual ban and self-ban from drinking at select (more like all) taverns across Eorzea, Yuuri is still at heart very normal.

Yes, yes, very normal.

Indeed...

 

* * *

 

 

They first experienced Yuuri's little  _condition_ quite early on the creation of the Linkshell.

"Let's visit Ifrit drunk to celebrate our new Linkshell!" It was one of Phichit's less than wise idea, and for a supposedly highly educated Blackmage the boy sometimes had one or many too many of his _wise_  ideas. For some ungodly reasons (hint: it rhymes with alcohol), more agreements were thrown at the suggestion than disagreements, and before long a party of eight  _very highly weaponized_ adventurers found themself standing in front of the Amalj'aan ritual field, where the lizardmen were summoning their primal deity  _again._

When Yuuri, completely drunk and beyond comprehensible words, stepped forward with a beaten Dreadwyrm Bow in hand and proceeded to singlehandedly wipe the ground with Ifrit's ass, they attributed the swiftness of the clear to an incomplete ritual, and Yuuri's sheer boldness and display of power to his weapon . It was, after all, one of the finest bow of the time, and how Yuuri got his hands on one when he was still flying solo, before he met the rest of the LS was beyond _anyone_  back then.

This was an era preceeding the Wanderer's Minuet.

Come the reopening of Ishgard, and adventurers from all over Eorzea found new powers unlocking. Yuuri, naturally, found himself attuning to more and more songs. He never knew when it happened, but at some point the Ice Gays became renowned across the realm, and he suddenly got a reputation slapped on his name.

 _The Voidsent Minuet_ , they called him.

It baffled everyone in the Linkshell, Yuuri himself included, when tavern owner Buscarron called him that during a visit. _Ah, if it isn't the little Voidsent Minuet_ _himself_ , he had joking-seriously said, as they entered the bar. Yuuri was the first to ever receive a public title like that (unless Victor, back then a decorated Chief Storm Sergeant, counted, with his  _Maelstorm Handsome_ title), and at first the Linkshell linked it to his...less than ideal drunken habits.

"Yuuri is a passionate drunk after all. It's cute." Victor's comment almost made Yuuri spurt his cold milk. "I know you've been banned from ordering liquor from most public bars, but being called a voidsent is certainly something, Yuuri."

"W-well excuse me for not responding well to alcohol at all!" Yuuri fidgeted in his seat, his eyes going back to the milk in his cup from time to time. Busarron gave him a selection of non-alcoholic beverages (what is he, a kid?), but he found milk to be the most agreeable one, somehow. "Honestly I don't know where it came from, though. I haven't been drinking publicly..."

He sideglanced Phichit, who was animatedly talking with one of the bar ladies about something. He caught them looking at his table from time to time, but he shrugged it off as the lady eyeing Victor's glorious...appearance.

 _Or maybe not_ , something in his mind told him when Phichit stood up and walked towards them with a devilish grin.

"Let's visit Sephirot drunk!" was Phichit's newest wise idea, and everyone present stared at the small-bodied Highlander as if he had just announced his marriage to his linkshell pearl.

(Which he did eventually.)

 

* * *

 

 

Yuuri had absolutely no idea what happened.

His last memory was dunking two gigantic mugs of milk that Phichit had kindly procured for him to ease his pre-battle nerves, because even if the Sephirot they were fighting was a simulation, he knew well enough that careless enough they _could_ actually die. He did notice that the milk was surprisingly calming, but...that was it.

Next thing he knew, he was seeing the white ceiling of his room.

He lifted his body up, but recoiled when pain shot through his entire body, his head horribly thumped as if it could split anytime. He almost threw up, but he soldiered on somehow. Did he pass out from fighting Sephirot?

Somehow, he managed to drag himself to the door, going out into the hall that lead to the front atrium of their company house. He chuckled a bit as he thought about how lavish the building was - they weren't a big Company member-count wise, but Victor had insisted to get the largest plot he could get his hands on in the Mist.

When he opened the door to the atrium, what greeted him was his fellow Company members, sitting around the central round table with...worried faces?

"Um...good...morning, guys?"

Yuuri didn't expect worry to turn into fearsome adoration when he greeted them.

"Yuuri! How are you, my little MVP!"

"Morning, Voidsent Minuet. You look _lovely_ today!"

" _Kamikaze_! You were amazing!"

Yuuri's jaw hung, his headache forgotten as he was flooded with waves of 'Are you okay's and 'That was bloody awesome's. It didn't stop until their resident whitemage loudly clicked his tongue at him.

"Yeah, sure, keep on egging him, I'll just be a good little healer and pray dutifully for our next duties," he said. From the looks of it, he seemed rather unpleased, so Yuuri took out the sliver of courage he had and asked.

"Yurio...what happened?"

The look on the Moonkeeper's face was priceless.

"You mean...you don't remember all that shit? Yo Phishit, how much poison did you put in that drink, really?"

Yuuri stared to Phichit.

Phichit grinned red-handedly.

Yuuri's headache was starting to come back.

"Seriously will anyone tell me what happened?" he asked again, and it was Victor (surprise, surprise) who walked to him, his hands gingerly squeezing the bard's shoulders.

He sighed.

"Yuuri, you...almost single-handedly took out one of the Warring Triad." Victor said, a proud grin threatening to spread on his face. "We were worried about making you enter the simulation completely smashed, but Phichit had assured us that he would help keep you safe-"

"Wait, smashed? Victor what-"

"-turns out you don't need guarding at all, because the moment you saw the great Tree, your body straightened, your eyes just brightened, you launched the best Wanderer's Minuet session I've ever experienced, and you just kept on raining judgement and pain on Sephirot, it was amazing! Granted you passed out before he actually went down, but we easily finished the job!"

Yurio's 'he totally forgot about foe's and ballad you lovesick geezer!' went mostly unheard as Yuuri's mind tried to process Victor's piece information.

"W-wait," Yuuri stuttered. He walked away from Victor's grip, and he threw Phichit in particular an accusing glare. "You guys...did you guys give me a  _spiked_ drink?"

"Sorry, Yuuri, but I just had to make sure!" Phichit clapped his hands in apology, but his voice was devoid of any regret. "At least we now know where your title came from - you must've accidentally drunk something when running with a public party!"

_"You guys made me fight drunk!?"_

"Well, to be honest your performance was amazing, Yuuri. You outdamaged _Phichit_ by a mile, so I'm willing to forgive the lack of Ballad- Yuuri? Yuuri where are you- Y-Yuuri we're sorry-Yuuriiiiii!"

 

Yuuri refused to talk with any of them for an entire week.

 

 

 

 

(It wasn't the last time they spike his drink.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't condone spiking people's drink in real life at all, but seriously alcohol for Yuuri must be some kind of secretly illegal competitive doping so


	3. The Daily Life of High School Boys: An Observation Report

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The following is an observation journal that outlines the activities of members of the Free Company History Makers within 1 (one) standard day, as part of the ongoing research project [ Everyday Companies ] commenced by The Eorzean Independent Records Community publication wing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was inspired by the Katekyo Hitman Reborn x eldLIVE artbook (the one where they show the characters' daily life) for this chapter. Not only I feel it will be a good show of my headcanons of the characters' personality, I think it's also fun to think of what they do everyday :')
> 
>  
> 
> ~~Also because i can't do MY usual stuff...~~

_The Eorzean Independent Records Community_

_< EIRC  > presents_  
**THE FREE COMPANIES OF EORZEA: AN OBSERVATION OF EVERYDAY**

_A project to record the mundane everyday of our modern Gods_

_Under sanction of the three Grand Companies of Eorzea and by the blessing of the People's Republic of Ishgard_

Project Leader: Sasadoa Mimidoa  
Project Supervisor: Wren Rapids  
Editor: F'maki Tia

* * *

**Introduction**

Among the countless Free Companies that dedicate their life and resources to service for the realm, it is bound to happen from the ages beyond that some would rise into fame and an entirely new level of recognition. Bands of skilled adventurer rising into prominence have preceeded even the Fifth Astral Era, with the earliest surviving records of a group not too different from present day Free Companies coming from as early as the Third Umbral Era (Homa, 629.6AE).

With this prominence, some Companies have achieved a status akin to Mythical, which is a pattern that had not seen major changes since at least the Third Umbral Era. Remaining Allagan tablets of this era past depicted the worship of Gods-like warriors, who not only fought malevolent powers but also worked to bring prosperity to the common people under a single flag (Frandeleux et.al, 1560.06AE). Even in the present day we see certain Free Companies that, while not treated like "Gods" in a manner of speaking due to the discouragement of special treatments for the sake of equal standings - or in the words of the Admiral herself, "to encourage a friendly stage where no adventurers are too far above the others; we have more than bloody enough Warriors of Light for over three eras." - are considered to be a cut or more beyond the simple Free Company.

While this reputation have painted some Free Companies as intimidating, we also understand that the adventurers that make up these free organizations are truly not so different than the next common person, in the way that these people are also human member of the working society. This research, highly inspired by one of the recently deciphered Third Astral Era Allagan Tomestone of Poetics that described the lifestyle of prominent Allagan Free Companies, or _guilds_ as they were called then, aims to record the life of current Eorzean Free Companies, not only to provide the highly sought after piece of entertainment and information, but also in hope that we can continue the peculiar ancient art of appreciating the everyday.

We would like to express our thanks the honoured leaders of the three Grand Companies for sanctioning our research under the united banner of the Grand Companies. To the welcoming lords and members of the Ishgardian house of nobles and commons alike for their blessing and permission to commence the project within companies associated with the illustrious St. Endalim Scholasticate, as well as to all Free Company leaders and their respective members who have sincerely agreed to participate in our project. We would also thank all our dispatched field researchers, who have worked hard in the past three years to compile all our information, whether from interviews with the members or live-in sessions with select Companies.

Without your combined help, effort and support, this report would have not been possible.

Lastly, I would like to thank you, our loyal reader and long-time supporter of our academic and humanitarian pursuits as one of Eorzea's largest independent community. Your loyalty will not go unappreciated, and we shall strive to pursue and record the culmination of Eorzea's collective knowledge.

May you walk in the crystal's light always.

_\- Sasadoa Mimidoa_

* * *

_Chapter XVII_  
**History Makers < HSM >**

Field operatives:

Patema Glory  
Ny'sala Koma  
Alastair Bernoix

Field Documentary: Nene Bernoix

* * *

 **Company Background**  
_Information compiled from interview between Patema Glory and second in command First Serpent Lieutenant Yuuri Katsuki, under the supervision of First Storm Lieutenant Victor Nikiforov_

Led by the illustrious and dashing First Storm Lieutenant Victor Nikiforov, the History Makers <HSM>, which soon enough will be celebrating their third year anniversary, was officially recognized as a registered Free Company in the fourth year of the Seventh Astral Era, under the approval signature of Maelstrom OIC Administrator Yola Nbolo. According to Lieutenant Katsuki, there had been disagreements regarding the company name, which he admitted had almost resulted in the cancellation of the Company formation.

The starting members of the Company first met in an attempt to explore the Coils of Bahamut in 3.07AE, which had been opened for a broader range of adventurers following the clearance of the area by the Warrior of Light around three years prior. While according to Lieutenant Katsuki he had not done anything commendable, Company Leader Nikiforov insisted that Lieutenant Katsuki had saved his life in the mission. Following a dramatic incident that occured in the mission - the lieutenant had refused to further elaborate here - the five-members static that became the cornerstone of the History Makers was formed, although it wasn't until one year later that it was officially registered with the Maelstrom Command. It took another year until History Makers have all the members of their current roster, and while the lieutenants expressed no interest in holding a public recruitment, they stated that they have set their eyes on some potential recruit for year 7.07AE.

Their next goal for year 7.07AE is to finally conquer the Extreme stage of Sophia The Goddess, following their phenomenal success in falling Sephirot the Tree and First Brood Nidhogg in the final weeks of year 6.07AE. The newly discovered access to the final Warring Triad Zurvan, the Demon has also further expanded the Company's continually growing bucket list of raiding throughout Eorzea, closely following an exploration of recently-found floating refuge Dun Scaith. We wish the company the bestest of luck in their oncoming endeavours!

* * *

 **Observation Journal  
** _The following is an observation journal that outlines the activities of members of the Free Company History Makers  within 1 (one) standard day, consolidated from records made in a live-in period of five moons in the History Makers <HSM> company housing._

 **04:00  
** Seung-Gil Lee wakes up earliest and tends the Company gardens. He never wakes the others up. Even when it rains Lee will remain outdoors until 0530 and practice with his egis and fairies.

 **04:30  
** Phichit Chulanont usually wakes around this hour. When it is not raining he tends to spend the dawn in the gardens with Lee, otherwise he will wait for daybreak in the library. The resident steward starts preparing food for breakfast.

 **05:30  
** The majority of the Company stirs awake around this time, the exceptions being Victor Nikiforov, Yuuri Katsuki, Georgi Popovich and Mi'nami Kenjirou. Most members spend the morning doing early morning workouts, but there is usually one to three members who goes into the kitchen and prepares breakfast with the resident steward. According to Katsuki, Plisetsky and Altin does this often.

 **06:00  
** By six Georgi Popovich is usually awake and tending the chocobo stables while crying, and Plisetsky will usually go to wake members who are still asleep or not present, including the two leaders of the Company.

> **Note:** It is interesting to note that when going to wake Nikiforov and Katsuki, Plisetsky  _always_ go to the latter's room first, despite the former's room being closer to the entryway. He never displays this order of preference with the other residents.

**06:30  
** Plisetsky returns to the atrium with two very tired-looking lieutenants. Breakfast usually commences in the dining hall downstairs between 0615 and 0645, although Chulanont has told the publication that "breakfast is an all-day meal".

 **07:00  
** If Plisetsky is absent or does not do his daily wake-up patrol, 0700 hrs is when lieutenants Katsuki and Nikiforov usually show up in the front atrium. Breakfast runs between one to one-and-a-half bell, usually in a mildly light atmosphere, although in the five moons we enjoyed breakfast together with the company, we experienced no less than fifteen "food wars". Said wars are usually engaged by Chulanont, Leroy, or even Nikiforov himself, although most of them does not last long enough to leave any major damage due to Katsuki's intervention.

 **08:00  
** By 0800 the whole Company is usually present in the briefing room upstairs, where they distribute the day's planning and discuss incoming missions and quests. Grand Company missives, Free Company quests, individual missions and exploratory missions are all presented during this time. The ever important party distribution also happens within the bell.

 **09:00  
** Unless the briefing takes more than a bell (or starts late, which is not an uncommon occurrence), by 0900 parties are usually ready to dispatch. Equipments are individually kept, so the company doesn't usually do extended preparation times. Moreover, each parties are granted autonomy in how they wish to depart, with the only rules in place being they adhere to the schedule and they finish the job.

Members who are not assigned tasks are free to roam until debriefing time, which normally occurs at 2200.

 **10:00  
** Members are usually out across the realm pursuing their individual quests during this period. However, Lee and Popovich, both of whom seem to be happier sitting in the reserve bench, often gets to stay in the housing to handle matters that could be taken care remotely such as Linkshells moderation, among many others. Otherwise, like other idle members they usually spend the day in the city-states doing non-specialised missions and mundane requests. The company don't usually spend noon together as they are more often than not busy with their individual assignments, but sometimes they group up at one of the city-states to eat out together. On weekends or on duty-free days they will also shop and procure company supplies together.

 **16:00  
** When not in the middle of a mission, Lee can always be found meditating in the garden around this time, with Chulanont, Guang-hong Ji, de la Iglesia and Plisetsky joining him when they can. During weekends, when they are not out and about having one-day holidays across Eorzea, they would eventually spend the bells relaxing, with Katsuki usually playing a list of songs in the library. 

> **Note:** the library is furnished with a complete set of musical instruments by commission of Nikiforov, who apparently was a skilled musician by his own rights himself. However, during our five-moons tenancy in the housing we have never seen him play. When we asked if he had ever played them since they were installed, the answer we received was negative.

**17:00  
** The older members of the company likes to accompany their younger fellows during this time, if they are not currently engaged in a duty. The resident lalafellin not-twins Guang-Hong and Iglesia usually do friendly sparring in the evening, under the watchful eyes of more experienced members. Lee likes to help budding summoner Kenjirou practice his arcanima and delve in theoretical books, and apparently Kenjirou also receives musical lessons from resident maestro bard Katsuki from time to time. We also observed that a lot of the older members are surprisingly skilled in the art of dance, and often when Minami is given the chance to practice his music they will use the moment to dance together. One of the highlights of our tenancy was when Giacometti and Chulanont took the piano to do a vigorous duet, Kenjirou took the viola, and the rest of the company engaged in an intense dance-off that lasted well into the night.

 **19:00  
** As we don't usually follow party members to their assigned missions, we spent most of the late evening around the Company housing premises. Members who have returned are usually treated with dinner prepared by the Steward, and occasionally by other members who have or are training as a culinarian. Sometimes when the whole company is present they hold impromptu cooking battles, the most memorable from our tenancy being the four-way battle between Plisetsky, Guang, Katsuki and Altin, where we were served a plethora of dishes of various cuisines. It was the first time we saw traditional Doman, fusion Uldahn-Meracydian, Thavnairian  _and_ modern Eorzean cuisines all together on one table, and it was none short of  _glorious_.

 **22:00  
** By this hour, most company members are likely to be back in the housing premises, although there are often exceptions such as extended raid explorations and the occasional irregular duties. Sometimes the gatherers of the company, that is, Guang-Hong, Iglesia and Popovich, will depart at this hour to go after the elusive unspoiled nodes throughout the realm and return after dawn. In most cases they are more than capable of protecting themselves, and seldom takes the regular raiders out at night to avoid tiring them the next day, but there had been occasions in which they are accompanied by the expert combatants. Debriefing happens at the final minutes of the bell, with mission clearance approval and the ever-important loot distributions, when applicable, handled by Katsuki, Popovich, or Lee. There was one time in our five months when none of the three housekeeping experts were present, and although Nikiforov claimed he could take the matter into his hands, Giacometti and Plisetsky instead opted to call Mila Babicheva, the appointed admin from an allied Free Company close by.

 **23:00  
** Lee always insists to retreat to his room around this hour, very possibly to meditate before he sleeps. From time to time, Katsuki and Nikiforov will also bid their day off around the same time, both retreating into their respective rooms, although we have noted that sometimes they would end up sharing a room for the night - according to Plisetsky the two often do so to discuss, in his own words, "diplomatic issues and whatnots because despite his charismatic disposition, Victor is ultimately useless when it comes to the more sensitive matters."

 **24:00~  
** We noted that Plisetsky is one of the first to wake every morning, but he is also usually one of the last to sleep, a trait that is probably linked to his Moonkeeper roots. He has a habit of patrolling around the halls once or twice (sometimes with the company of Altin, who we observed is one of the few members Plisetsky _highly_ tolerates, the others being the ever-silent Lee and the "mother hen" Katsuki) before heading back into his room, often bringing himself something to eat from the kitchen before he retreats. 

* * *

 

 

_(Perhaps not too coincidentally, the complete collection which contains over thirty chapters spread across three volumes including its addendum, each with its own Free Companies, quickly became one of the favourite reads of adventurers left and right, part because a lot of its contents made good entertainment (e.g. one particular Warrior of Light can literally outdrink a twelvesdamned cyclops, among other stupid useless trivias), and part because about a seventh of adventurers are dutiful members of St. Endalim Scholasticate, which for whatever reasons has the original first first print edition locked up behind a beautiful glass cabinet in the room reserved for Honours Awards showcase and if that doesn't scream must-read, then nothing short of a banshee would.)_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An addendum that contains full biographies of all the members of HSM will be in another chapter...someday. :'D For now, I will just list some roles and their best classes on the order from most mastered here:
> 
>   * Victor Nikiforov  
>  PLD, BRD, WHM, MCH, all rounder in the other classes except ACN derivatives because he apparently doesn't attune well with summoned allies
>   * Yuuri Katsuki  
>  BRD, PUG, SCH
>   * Yuri'o Plisetsky  
>  WHM, SMN, SCH
>   * Phichit Chulanont  
>  BLM, BRD
>   * Christophe Giacometti  
>  WHM, AST, NIN, BLM
>   * Georgi Popovich  
>  BLM, DRG, NIN, MNK
>   * Mi'nami Kenjirou  
>  SMN, THM, ARC
>   * Seung-Gil Lee  
>  SCH, SMN, BLM
>   * Guang-Hong Ji  
>  MNK, NIN, MCH
>   * Leo de la Iglesias  
>  MNK, MCH, NIN
>   * Jean-Jacques Leroy  
>  DRG, WAR
>   * Otabek Altin  
>  WAR, PLD, DRK
>   * E'mil Nekola  
>  NIN, MNK, ACN
> 

> 
> The dating system that I used follows a (Year).(Era) format. Who knows what the actual dating system is, but I sure as hell am not going to type "Year 325 of the sixth astral era" in an in-text referencing bit...


	4. Through Golden Cornfields

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This Warrior of Light is someone Yuuri could sympathise with.
> 
> Yuuri wonders if the feeling can be mutual.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a believer of the _there are multiple warriors of light_ trope, so if in the future I put a male warrior of light, it is most likely not a mistake from my side. Anyway, here's an admittedly self-indulgent self-insert-ish (not really tbh) chapter in which I push the Warrior of Light and our ~~Voidsent Minuet~~ plain-faced protagonist together for a good, sentimental chat that I'm _quite_ sure a lot of us can relate with. Maybe. Hopefully. Idk man the DRK quests changed my interpretation of WoL personality forever.
> 
> This chapter feels a bit shorter than my standard but I hope it gets the message across.
> 
> Also this was supposed to be funny send help

"There was blood everywhere."

The hooded woman's hands visibly shook, and it took Yuuri his entire self control to not throw himself to give her a hug. He was not the usually _huggy_ kind of person, but maybe it was because the woman,  _this woman_ , she just simply had this incredibly easy to approach aura. They've just personally met twice, mayhaps three times in Yuuri's entire adventuring history, but it didn't let him know her any less than he already knew. He knew her, she probably didn't know him well enough. She was close to tears, but none of those salty droplets of water were seen on her surprisingly dainty face. She was shaking.

Yuuri almost hugged her, but he simply put his hands over her scarred, calloused ones.

"I..." she took a hesitant breath. Her golden eyes, dim with the countless number of wars she had found herself dragged into, shakily shifted from her ale to Yuuri's warm amber, then to the coarse surface of Buscarron's roughly treated oak table. "I thought I would've gotten used to it. I guess I never did."

Her smile was almost like glass. Beautiful, transparent.

Fragile.

 

 _The golden cornfields shines in the sun_  
_The child of earth shies into the light_  
_Thine feet aches, skin slices open,_  
_Thine heart, it leaps with the vitality of youth!_

 

This talk merely happened because Yuuri happened to be a bard, coincidentally singing in Buscarron's Druther,  _coincidentally_ about the grandeurs of adventuring and rescuing the world, one mission at a time and about the  _nots_ of it - the sadness, the pain, the loss, the longing for peace, the way saving the world eventually turns into a curse. A chore. A  _job_. Every meaning and every threat, every crafted hopes and every dashed dreams were well hidden between sincerely crafted words, ones that Yuuri did not create, but merely borrow from a legendary bard of his era, who disappeared from the face of the realm as if eaten by the ground. The golden words, the story of a child who grows through a golden cornfield, grows as tall as the cornstalks grow, and eventually finds that  _gold_ is not forever. Gold dies. Turns into ash. Burns with into red. Wilts. Dies.  _Goes_.

Not many bards sung about the song, knowing how close it can hit home to the less understanding souls and how sad it could be to the more understanding, but Yuuri didn't care. Yuuri never cared. Yuuri couldn't care _enough_. It was a deep and heartrendingly beautiful piece that deserved to be sung across the realm. It was a personal attack to him, a song that was an almost perfect retelling of his beloved's tale - if at least the starting half of it. Never did the infamous  _Voidsent Minuet_ expect that on that fateful night, his own distress that made him choose the particular song led him into a fateful encounter like he had never felt before.

She wore a hood that shadowed her entire face, and between the scant lighting of the tavern and the unusually lively audience (the wood wailers were having a party for its initiates, Yuuri was told), he initially didn't recognize the woman. She was small and almost looked delicate, and when she approached his table after his performance, he first thought she was some other adventurer.

He almost dropped his precious harp when he realized who the woman was, then.

"Look at me, being stupid and sappy at a bard that I've only seen a handful of times." The warrior of light sniffed softly, and her smile twisted into something unsincere, like it was hiding something. Yuuri knew the smile - he'd seen it a million times even before he met the war-beaten fighter in front of him. He didn't say anything, though he could feel his eyes wavering, the pooling heat behind his eyes trying to tell him to at least say it,  _say it, say that you understand. That you know another who had suffered the same. That you are not alone in bearing the burden of the world_. 

The warrior of light was  _never_ alone - and at the same time,  _always_ been alone.

So he couldn't say anything, and he could only squeeze her hand a little tighter, as if it he didn't hold her tightly enough she would be whisked by the cruel current of fate into another lightless day.

(Which is a horribly cruel joke, a warrior of light living her days where the light never touches. But more than often it is,  _cruelly_ , true.)

 

 _The golden cornfields opens like the ancient seas draws away_  
_The child of earth crosses the earth and opens closed eyes_  
_Hair grows long, eyes grow bright, the world draws small  
_ _As thine feet aches, skin slices open, come forth the edge of gold!_

 

"Sorry not sorry you have to bear the brunt force of me getting drunk."

There she was, trying to joke her feelings away. Yuuri shook his head, his hands never leaving the tired woman's. "No, please. Feelings are not to be dismissed, we bards know that better than anyone." Golden eyes widened, and for a moment Yuuri could see something lit, shining like a thunderspark behind dead eyes. And that, that point, was where Yuuri could actually smile - genuinely, caring, and  _knowing_. "I know. I know who you are,  _what_ you were before you took the blades of death. I know.  _I know_." His voice was almost a whisper, but the shaking that he felt under his palms told him that she heard.

She listened.

Found herself understood, for once.

And she cried for real.

"I...I'm s-sorry-" she wheezed between tears and between sobs, and Yuuri ignored the wetness that seeped through the fabrics of his poncho, as he took the weeping Dark Knight into his arms.  _I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry._ He softly hushed her, softly rubbed her trembling back that felt very wrong, when he knew that it belonged to a fighter who had felled countless dragons and men as she ended the Dragonsong Wars of Ishgard almost single-handedly. But here, in his arms, gone were any traces of the mighty warrior who flooded the Steps of Faith with the  _true_ First Brood's blood -  _the_ one that makes the consequent First Broods they fight within a magical time bubble powered by the magic of aether abundance and songs of ages sounds, feels like some second grade replica. In his arms, crying, was a simple adventurer, a woman who loves to sing, to dance, to bring  _life_ to the living and  _peace_ to the dead, a woman whose body is too small and lithe to wield the unforgiving blade of cold justice.

A bard, true in all sorts of meaning.

A bard, who in her last days as a singstress weaved one of the greatest love song to life, love, and death.

A bard, who let her songs tell nothing of her name, and everything of her life.

 

 _The golden cornfields grows tall, covering the limitless blue_  
_The child of earth grows blind, eyes dimmed by the shadows of gold._  
_And then it stops, it splits, it dies, the gold.  
_ _When thy feels it enveloping, it breaks away. Everything, anything, nothing._

 

She was never fit to become a dark knight, and yet. She did. Crying and crumbling, but she bore the burden.

Because what good are beacons of light that cannot slice through the darkness?

(The Warriors of Light are indeed, truly amazing.)

"It was a calling,"

She murmured, her ale long forgotten, her tears drying. Her breathing sent an alien warmth through the ramie cloth.  "Funny isn't it? Never thought a celebrated bard will end up bringing the dread of death into the realm. It is like the complete antithesis to what we're taught." Her voice was trembling, but she was stable. Safe. Sound. "But I couldn't push away from the pull, and before long my hands were covered in more blood than string wounds. I'm questioning myself. My _self_."

She talked as if she was referring to another  _self_.

Yuuri didn't ask.

The wood wailers partied on.

"Katsuki, wasn't it?"

 

 _It breaks away._  
_Whisked by the wind. Crushed by the earth._  
_Pulled by the sea._ _Eaten by the sky._

_Gold melts,_

_And everything turns grey._

 

"I will never be able to return to the harp," she said, barely a whisper. "I didn't complete the song. I should have. I can't, not anymore. Not like this."

Yuuri suddenly felt a sharp guilt.

In her gold, he saw blue. Silver in brown. Shimmering white gold horns in the dangling earrings everyone knew was more utility than beauty. His warrior in the Warrior of Light, in all his weakness and vulnerability.

He musn't. He can't.

"But you, you added something to it. Didn't finish it like I wanted it to be, but I think - I think you gave it a heart."

He shouldn't have.

"Thank you, Yuuri Katsuki."

Even the words were the same. It was a personal attack. He won the first battle, but he can't seem to fight the same battle twice.

Stupid, _stupid, stupid!_

She had pulled away from the hug, leaving an illusion of warmth where the suede of her robes touched Yuuri. The smile on her face still hid something - warriors of light always have something to hide - but at least it was sincere. It was warm and cold, welcoming but pushing away. Thank you for being a good friend in need but I'm sorry I can't stay with you.

Yuuri couldn't say anything. Didn't.

"Please, Yuuri Katsuki. I beseech you, keep your heart close and never let go. Don't ever fall."

Her eyes were dim. The lightning had passed.

Yuuri didn't say anything, but.

 

He understood.

 

 

 

 _His lightning never passed_.


	5. Yuri'o Plisetsky, the White

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes Yuri wonders why he became a healer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it. This is the DF nightmare chapter you've been all (not) waiting for.
> 
> Also please, if you haven't, give [these guys](http://angry-healers.tumblr.com/) a visit because they give me strength in darkness.
> 
> (Also awyissss 8888 wordss)

Out of all his static members, surprisingly, Yuri'o Plisetsky tolerates their bard the most.

It has nothing to do with his doting mother personality ("No I don't need you to fucking _baby_ me, pork, _I'm_ supposed to be babying all of you sorry excuses of functioning adults!"), but everything to do with his battle performance, because Yurio only cares about battle performances. Despite his bumbling awkwardness and his irritating shyness, out of the other six permanent members he is probably the only one who actually  _cares_ enough to properly do raid mechanics ( _all of them_ ), making it easy for Yurio to actually  _do his fucking job_. Heavensent mage ballads, precise avoidance from enemy attacks, and when his nerves aren't making him stumble every six to ten steps (which totally drives Yurio crazy), impeccable song-dancing that allows him to maximise his support utilities while contributing to the overall party damage.

No seriously, when Yuuri Katsuki is at the peak of his performance, Yurio can only  _wish_ his cleric stance-dancing is as good as the bard's infamous minuet-dancing.

(Not like he'll ever admit that out loud.)

It is this exact acknowledgement of the bard's sober ability that pisses Yurio everytime the party decides to bring him out drunk. Sure it's fun watching the normally docile and overly calculating bard suddenly turn up more confidence than Jean fucking Leroy and Giacometti combined, and even Yurio must admit the sight of Yuuri raging like a demon in the battle is...captivating, somehow. But then he'd realize the bard had completely ignored his Ballad and Requiem duties in favour of being the  _top deeps_ , and suddenly everything isn't as beautiful as it seems.

Now _that_ Yuuri Katsuki, Yurio cannot bear himself to like, because at that point, he's  _just like the others_.

His other static members are good, but sometimes they can be irritating and Yurio will never be sure if they are doing it to provoke him, or if they are just  _that_. Irritating. From Victor's tendency to drop his shield stance to look brave and cool in front of his soon-to-be-bonded, to Chulanont's  _I CAN TOTALLY KILL HIM BEFORE HE KILLS ME_ stunts, to Giacometti's  _You're the main healer, you heal them I'll attack_ shit, and don't even mention the godsdamned floor tanker Leroy. He can go heal himself. Even Altin, precious  _precious_ Altin, who literally only has _one_  (fine, _two_ ) job in a battle, has this horrible habit of berserking when the timing is off and it's driving Yurio  _mad_.

Giacometti once drunkenly joked that  _a good healer performs as good as his party, a master healer carries the whole godsdamned alliance_ , and while Yurio agreed that a highly qualified healer should be able to pick some slack off one or two incompetent allies, he fully despises the idea that a healer should become, essentially, a scapegoat for the entire party, much less an entire  _alliance_. Of course, Yurio is not incompetent, not at all, and when Leroy is having one of his less-than-better days, Yurio will, despite his claims that he will let Leroy permanently tank the floor if he pass out more than three times, wholeheartedly support his party because  _that's what whitemages do_. He will keep that asshole Victor rejuvenated and ready to pick on any tank busters even without shield stance because  _that's what whitemages do_. He'll even tolerate Giacometti's stupid all-damage-no-heals phase because, oh guess fucking what,  _that's what whitemages do_.

(His Holy still deals more pain than Giacometti's stupid Gravity thing, so it pisses him off infinitely more.)

He takes pride in his competence as a healer, and his perseverance as a whitemage. But Yuri'o Plisetsky is just a young boy - the  _youngest_ , even - stuck with some lame adults who most of the time can't even take care of themselves, and sometimes he'd find himself faltering. Sometimes, he'd find lingering doubt within himself, which he will try to phase out by bringing out a tome, a dusty scribbled arcanima spellbook that marks his alternative job as an arcanist. Other times, he just turn his woes to Mother Hydaelyn, because, from the earth, to the earth, right?

Sometimes, when he prays, he wonders why does he put up with being a healer.

* * *

Nikol'ai Plisetsky was an honest and modest, albeit mediocre conjurer.

He wasn't the best conjurer around, but he was patient and understanding, and his lessons were easy to understand, so head conjurer E-Sumi-Yan assigned him the task of teaching Stillglade Fane's younger recruits the subtle art of conjuring. The aging man was a favourite of the kids, and clearly the man loved the kids back, despite his aching back and cracking hips. Conjury is an art of loving, and it was clear that for all his shortcomings and mediocrity, the old man had  _loads_ to share with everyone.

Yuri'o is so  _damn_ proud of his old geezer, and like all kids who adores their grandpapas, he wants to be just like old man Nikol.

"When I'm big, I want to be a conjurer like you!" A young Yuri'o said to his grandpapa, eyes twinkling with adoration and the promise of future dreams. His grandpapa's wrinkled eyes was reflecting the excitement in his grandson's, and he had laughed. Jolly old laugh, guffawing like how an old man was supposed to laugh. He had swooped the young Moonkeeper in his arms, a mutual adoration between grandson and grandfather sparkling between them.

He gifted his first cane to Yuri'o on the boy's tenth nameday, and introduced him to Stillglade Fane on his eleventh. It was obvious that the little Moonkeeper was blessed with a certain gift in conjuring, as he rapidly ate through every lessons his classes could throw at him with ease. On his fourteenth nameday, he joined the big adults for serious conjuring lessons. He threw his first  _stone_ on the fifth day he was fourteen. His first  _aero_ on the ninth.  _Fluid Aura_ on the third week. Before long, he was bringing people back from the brink of death.

He was  _good_.

He was not supposed to be  _that_ good.

People feared him.

 _He_ feared himself.

But Nikol was proud of him. He was proud that his little Yuri was so good in the art of loving, of healing the wounds of his allies, of salving the pain of the land. _There is nothing to fear about your gif_ _t, Yura_. Nikol said to him. And his grandpapa, his kind, loving, honest and modest grandpapa, continued to support him, even as he moved on from his worn and beaten old cane to a brand new one made of fine polished walnut, decorated with silver fittings that made the cane reflect the light when lifted at the correct angle. As his clothes turned from the unassuming brown hemp to shimmering cashmere, as he was decorated by rings and necklaces that would attune him better with the land.

He supported Yurio as he received his soul stone, and a name along with the small chunk of heavy responsibility.

 

 _Yuri the White_.

 

* * *

 

 

 

Sometimes he hates his gift. 

"For the love of Nophica -  _GET BACK HERE YOU FUCKING TODDLER._ " It was the thought that he'd scratch his hard-earned Sophic cane that stopped him from throwing it to Victor's ass when the Auri paladin decided he needed no protect and stances and dashed ahead alone (stanceless!), leaving his party companions behind as they tried to recover from travel sickness. Unfortunately there was no future Eternal Bond partner to keep the Au Ra in check, and the poor strangers who had  _just_ the bad luck to get partied with Victor and Yurio in the public Xelphatol queue just wouldn't understand.

" なんてこったい?? "

" 私は災害を嗅ぐ. "

" 大丈夫です. 私たちは管理しています! "

Yep. Definitely wouldn't.

Why, or  _how_ they ended up partied up with some Far Eastern natives who  _didn't seem to understand one bit of the Eorzean_   _spoken language_ was beyond him. Where is the Pork Bard when you need him? Why didn't Yurio ever pick up the Far Eastern language? How did these two magical ninjas end up in the public listing anyway!?

He groaned when his whitemage senses told him that Victor was dying  _fast,_ and that he should catch up soon. That guy solo tanked fucking Alexander and _survived_  - WHY IS HE DOING _THIS_ STUPID SHIT? To his best of his ability (he's sure beckoning is a universal motion), he gestured to the two foreign ninjas to follow him, before he sprinted to his shit tanker.

Thankfully, they understood the gesture, at least.

By the time he reached Victor, Yuri almost stab him with his Sophic Cane. The monster mob wasn't small - the idiot had dragged as many monsters as he could until a wooden locked gate barred them from advancing - and he knew that Clemency could only help as much - it was amazing that he lasted as long as he did, honestly.

But he could only last so long.

(Yurio was tempted to just let him taste the floor for once.)

Sighing, he threw a Tetra to the struggling paladin. Cura. Regen. Medica. Medicara. Stoneskin. Cure. His middle finger and a loud curse at Victor, not quite befitting the History Makers young whitemage's innocent public image. He shifted his feet and attuned himself into cleric stance, and began casting Aeroga as the two ninjas ran past him to join the mess. It didn't take long for the four to obliterate the first wave of monsters, thankfully.

But when Victor dashed off on his own  _again_ , Yurio could only scream.

* * *

At least he exited Xelphatol with two gleaming commendations. The strangers practically worshipped him, although he understood absolutely nothing that came from their mouth.

* * *

 (He whined at Pork Cutlet Bard about Victor's attitude later that day. Victor's face when Yuuri scolded him was priceless.)


	6. To Mock a Killingbird

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Ice Gays linkshell is lively as always tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Breaking from my usual style, I've jumped into the chat format layout for this chapter! Our main POV is from Yuuri's, so it's JP UI time! ヽ(・∀・)ノ  
> (I should have gone with Yurio or Victor or idk someone else who would use the english client I guess but where's the fun in that)  
> The setting and premise of the chapter kinda differs from the other chapters since here they're actually players and not...characters. Yeah.
> 
> Auto-translate brackets have been replaced with the ever reliable { } ! Much thanks to my FC buddies for agreeing to help me with the interactive emotes, UI texts and auto translate contents....
> 
> (I even changed my client language to JP for this chapter's immersion resources and it fucked me up like you wouldn't know)
> 
> ((Also hi I set this chapter in Balmung but I play in Masamune say hi if we meet <3))

**[0:45] Welcome to Balmung !**

**[0:45] ■今後のメンテナンス作業が実施される可能性のある日程および、実施が確定した日程をお知らせしております。 http://sqex.to/Io9**

**[0:45] エターナルバンドのセレモニー会場の予約を行われる場合には、メンテナンス作業予定をご考慮のうえ予約を行ってくださいますようお願いいたします。**

**[0:45] ★12月24日(土)／25日(日)に開催される「ファイナルファンタジーXIV ファンフェスティバル2016 in TOKYO」の全ステージプログラムを楽しめるストリーミング放送チケット販売中！**

**[0:45] チケットを購入するとインゲームアイテムをプレゼント！詳しくはトピックス(http://sqex.to/WsW)をご覧ください。**

**[0:45] ★シーズナルイベント「降神祭」開催中！（2017年1月16日23:59まで）詳しくは http://sqex.to/JkJ をご覧ください。**

**[0:45] レストエリアに入った！**

**[0:45] ミスト・ヴィレッジ第12区**

[0:45] [3] <Viktor Nikiforov> Yuuri! :D

[0:45] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> Good evening!

[0:45] [3] <Yuri'o Plisetsky> ur late.

[0:45] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> Sorry. I just got back.

**[0:45] レストエリアから離れた。**

**[0:45] レストエリアに入った！**

[0:46] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> Is everyone else here already?

[0:46] [3] <Yuri'o Plisetsky> mila got a girls night out so she's not coming

[0:46] [3] <Yuri'o Plisetsky> otabek got training so he's not online, idk why he's even doing it when it's off season

[0:46] [3] <Christophe Giacometti> But you have practice too tomorrow, don't you?

[0:46] [3] <Yuri'o Plisetsky> shhh the night is still young

[0:46] [3] <Yuri'o Plisetsky> idk bout phishit

**[0:47] FreeCompany - Phichit Chulanontがログインしました**

[0:47] [3] <Yuri'o Plisetsky> nvm

[0:47] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> Hi Phichit!

[0:47] [3] <Yuri'o Plisetsky> late.

[0:47] [3] <Phichit Chulanont> Nah man, I'm always { 雷遁の術 } time. U guys are just early.

**[23:46] Yuri'o Plisetskygags at Phishit Chulanont's lame excuse of a pun.**

[0:47] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> Is that the Raiton pun again.

[0:47] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki>Phichit, I don't pick sides but that WAS kinda bleh.

**[0:47] Phichit Chulanontは泣いた。**

**[0:47] Yuuri KatsukiはPhichit Chulanontをなぐさめた。**

[0:47] [1] <Yoshie Nakamura> (σ*'ω'*)σ マインドフレア 》黒衣森：南部森林 ( 16 , 32 )《

[0:47] [1] <Yuuri Katsuki> { ありがとう。} !

**[0:47] レストエリアから離れた。**

**[0:47] レストエリアに入った！**

[0:48] [3] <Yuri'o Plisetsky> where u off to now pork

[0:48] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> Guys

[0:48] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> S mark in South Shroud. Also weather is currently tension.

**[0:48] レストエリアから離れた。**

[0:48] [3] <Phichit Chulanont> Ohhh snap, Odin! Mantle up, boys! And girls! And girls who dress like boys!

[0:48] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki>nvm they just murdered the thing

[0:48] [3] <Phichit Chulanont> Awww whatttt

[0:48] [3] <Viktor NIkiforov> Too bad :(

[0:48] [3] <Viktor NIkiforov> Ah well, another three days wait, then :)

[0:48] [3] <Yuri'o Plisetsky> gags

[0:48] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> Bodies everywhere omg

[0:49] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> S mark is still up at 100% if you guys want him though

[0:49] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> Two more parties on location.

[0:49] <Yuuri Katsuki> 1分待つことができますか？

[0:49] <Yoshie Nakamura> OK !

[0:49] <Kirari Moroboshi> おK

[0:49] <Misaki Misaki > おK

[0:49] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> I've asked them to wait. Get your asses here ASAP.

[0:49] [3] <Viktor NIkiforov> Coming, darling <3

[0:49] [3] <Yuri'o Plisetsky> GAGS

[0:49] [3] <Christophe Giacometti> We need two healers at all?

[0:49] [3] <Phichit Chulanont> Pft, nah. Get your BLM out, Chris. We'll burn this calamari crisp.

[0:49] [3] <Christophe Giacometti> <3

**[0:49] Viktor Nikiforovがパーティに参加しました。**

**[0:50] Phichit Chulanontがパーティに参加しました。**

**[0:50] Yuri'o Plisetskyがパーティに参加しました。**

[0:50] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> Chris?

**[0:50] Christophe Giacomettiがパーティに参加しました。**

[0:50] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> Ah

**[0:50] Christophe Giacomettiは「黒魔道士」にチェンジした。**

[0:50] [3] <Christophe Giacometti> Coming now <3

[0:51] [3] <Yuri'o Plisetsky> let's do this

[0:51] <Yuuri Katsuki> OK !

[0:51] <Yuuri Katsuki> ありがとう!

[0:51] <Yoshie Nakamura> OK (´｡• ω •｡`)

**[1:02] リスキーモブの討伐に成功し、貢献度に応じた報酬を得た。**

**[1:02] 同盟記章を100枚手に入れた！**

**[1:02] セントリオ記章を50枚手に入れた！**

**[1:02] アラガントームストーン:詩学を100個手に入れた。**

**[1:02] アラガントームストーン:伝承を30個手に入れた。**

[1:02] <Yuuri Katsuki> OK ! お疲れさま!

[1:02] <Yoshie Nakamura> おつかれ~

[1:02] [3] <Christophe Giacometti> So many fire

[1:02] [3] <Phichit Chulanont> IKR

[1:03] [3] <Phichit Chulanont> SO GLORIOUS

[1:03] [3] <Phichit Chulanont> I got everything recorded!

[1:03] [3] <Yuri'o Plisetsky> Yeah, yeah, good job whatever

[1:03] [3] <Viktor Nikiforov> Esuna was on point as always.

[1:03] [3] <Viktor Nikiforov> GJ Yurio! :D

[1:03] [3] <Yuri'o Plisetsky> ofc

[1:03] [3] <Yuri'o Plisetsky> I'm amazing

[1:03] [3] <Yuri'o Plisetsky> though

[1:03] [3] <Yuri'o Plisetsky> how did we end up with two parties that apparently only spoke fucking nihongo? Isn't this an english server?

[1:03] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> JP Hunter Linkshell

[1:03] [3] <Yuri'o Plisetsky> of fucking course.

[1:04] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> It's not my fault the EN ones are more interested in Quicksand ERP.

[1:04] [3] <Viktor Nikiforov> *COUGHS*

**[1:04] Yuuri Katsuki rolls his eyes at Viktor Nikiforov.**

[1:04] [3] <Viktor Nikiforov> B-but Yuuri darling you're also in that LS!

[1:05] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> What, ERP Unanonymous?

[1:05] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> You kept inviting me into the LS although I rejected several times.

[1:05] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> I give up. I keep that channel muted 24/7.

[1:05] [3] <Viktor Nikiforov> :(

[1:05] [3] <Viktor Nikiforov> Oh so that's why you never reply to my advances in the shell!

[1:05] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> Vitya I don't do public ERPs

[1:05] [3] <Phichit Chulanont> Implying you DO do RPs in private.

[1:05] [3] <Phichit Chulanont> Wait

[1:05] [3] <Phichit Chulanont> WAIT

[1:05] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> ...

[1:05] [3] <Yuri'o Plisetsky> ............................

[1:06] [3] <Christophe Giacometti> Katsuki

[1:05] [3] <Viktor Nikiforov> <3 <3 <3

[1:06] [3] <Yuri'o Plisetsky> i smell a scandal

[1:06] [3] <Christophe Giacometti> Excuse me but

[1:06] [3] <Christophe Giacometti> Are you implying that you DO ERP?

[1:06] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> NO

[1:06] [3] <Viktor Nikiforov> Yes

[1:06] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> VICTOR

[1:06] [3] <Phichit Chulanont> YUURI KATSUKI

[1:06] [3] <Phichit Chulanont> OR SHOULD I SAY

[1:06] [3] <Phichit Chulanont> YUURI KATSUKI-NIKIOFROV

[1:06] [3] <Phichit Chulanont> *NIKIFORV

[1:06] [3] <Phichit Chulanont> **NIKIFOROV

[1:06] [3] <Yuri'o Plisetsky> I'M TOO YOUNG FOR ALL THIS

[1:06] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> Phichit

[1:06] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> I

[1:06] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> Stop

[1:06] [3] <Phichit Chulanont> I'LL PAY FOR YOUR NAME CHANGE

[1:06] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> How about

[1:06] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> Ugh

[1:06] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> Fuck this

[1:06] [3] <Yuri'o Plisetsky> Did he just swear

[1:06] [3] <Christophe Giacometti> Yep

[1:06] [3] <Viktor Nikiforov> Yes

[1:06] [3] <Viktor Nikiforov> <3

[1:06] [3] <Yuri'o Plisetsky> Fucking yeah he just did

[1:07] [3] <Yuri'o Plisetsky> Phishit Chulanont ur done

[1:07] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> Phichit

[1:07] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> Wolf's Den

[1:07] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> Now.

[1:07] [3] <Yuri'o Plisetsky> OOOOOOOO

[1:07] [3] <Christophe Giacometti>!!!!!!

[1:07] [3] <Phichit Chulanont> I'M SORRY

[1:07] [3] <Phichit Chulanont> BUT HIGHKEY NOT SORRY

**[1:07] Yuri'o Plisetsky拍手した。**

[1:07] [3] <Phichit Chulanont> Oh

[1:07] [3] <Phichit Chulanont> AREN'T WE RAIDING SOPHIA TONIGHT

[1:07] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> Not anymore

[1:07] [3] <Viktor Nikiforov> Yes we are

[1:07] [3] <Viktor Nikiforov> Come on Yuura

[1:07] [3] <Viktor Nikiforov> Let's get you all unsobered up

[1:07] [3] <Viktor Nikiforov> Maybe slip in a bit of fun as we prepare

[1:07] [3] <Yuri'o Plisetsky> DONT

[1:07] [3] <Yuri'o Plisetsky> EVEN

**[1:07] Yuuri KatsukiはViktor Nikiforovを平手打ちした。**

[1:08] [3] <Yuri'o Plisetsky> did

[1:08] [3] <Yuri'o Plisetsky> did u just

[1:08] [3] <Yuri'o Plisetsky> omg pork i never liked you THAT much but

[1:08] [3] <Yuri'o Plisetsky> respect up x1000

[1:08] [3] <Viktor Nikiforov> I

[1:08] [3] <Viktor Nikiforov> I'M SHOOK

[1:08] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> -_-

**[1:08] Yuuri KatsukiはViktor Nikiforovを平手打ちした。**

**[1:08] Yuuri KatsukiはViktor Nikiforovを平手打ちした。**

**[1:08] Yuuri KatsukiはViktor Nikiforovを平手打ちした。**

**[1:08] Yuuri KatsukiはViktor Nikiforovを平手打ちした。**

**[1:08] Yuuri KatsukiはViktor Nikiforovを平手打ちした。**

[1:08] [3] <Christophe Giacometti> At this rate Victor is going to turn into an M

[1:08] [3] <Christophe Giacometti> In fact I think he already is one

**[1:08] Viktor NikiforovはYuuri Katsukiを笑った。**

[1:08] [3] <Christophe Giacometti> Yep

[1:08] [3] <Viktor Nikiforov> Harder pls dear <3

[1:08] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> I made a grave mistake.

[1:08] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> Bury me next to my kin.

[1:08] [3] <Yuri'o Plisetsky> barf

**[1:08] Yuri'o Plisetskyがパーティーを出発しました。**

[1:08] [3] <Phichit Chulanont> welp

[1:09] [3] <Phichit Chulanont> does this mean we're not doing sophia tonight?

**[1:09] FreeCompany - Yuri'o Plisetskyがログアウトしました**

[1:09] [3] <Phichit Chulanont> Oh

[1:09] [3] <Phichit Chulanont> Oh dear

[1:09] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> Victor.

[1:09] [3] <Viktor Nikiforov> As much as I want to claim responsibility for making him so irked he actually bail from the game

[1:09] [3] <Viktor Nikiforov> Alas it wasn't my doing.

[1:09] [3] <Viktor Nikiforov> Yakov is doing room checks

[1:09] [3] <Viktor Nikiforov> We uh

[1:09] [3] <Viktor Nikiforov> Apparently got a trekking schedule tomorrow. Departs at dawn our time.

[1:09] [3] <Phichit Chulanont> Oh

[1:09] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> Ah

[1:09] [3] <Christophe Giacometti> That's unfortunate

[1:09] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> Yeah.

[1:09] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> I guess that means no raid for the night. The plan was to help Yurio get his bird tonight after all.

[1:10] [3] <Viktor Nikiforov> I hear footsteps

[1:10] [3] <Viktor Nikiforov> Angry footsteps

[1:10] [3] <Viktor Nikiforov> Yakov

**[1:10] FreeCompany - Viktor Nikiforovがログアウトしました**

[1:10] [3] <Phichit Chulanont> Rip planning

[1:10] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> Eh

[1:10] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> I suppose I'll do a little gathering then log out, then.

[1:10] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> So late already...

[1:10] [3] <Christophe Giacometti> No point in staying up late while your lovely fiance is abroad, mm?

[1:11] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> Chris

[1:11] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> I like you enough but don't you think that it's going to stop me from decking your ass if you provoke me enough

[1:11] [3] <Phichit Chulanont> Yuuri are you drunk

[1:11] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> No

[1:12] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> Actually

[1:12] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> Nope.

[1:12] [3] <Phichit Chulanont> Are you tipsy

[1:12] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> ...

[1:12] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> a bit.

[1:12] [3] <Christophe Giacometti> Wow. Victor totally missed out.

[1:12] [3] <Phichit Chulanont> Yeah. Would love to see how good you two RP.

 **[1:12] Phichit Chulanontwiggles his** **eyebrows seductively.**

[1:12] [3] <Yuuri Katsuki> you know what i think i need my rest. good night, guys.

[1:12] [3] <Phichit Chulanont> YUURI DON'T LEAVE US

**[1:12] パーティーは解散した。**

[1:12] [3] <Phichit Chulanont> NO

[1:12] [3] <Phichit Chulanont> NOOOOOO

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phichit ends up farming frost cotton balls alone because Chris got a date night. Poor Phichit.


	7. The Past Tense of Yuuri

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victor found something unexpected in Yuuri's room and he wasn't pleased.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I dedicate this to minatu who drew a version of YoIxFFXIV with exPLD turned WHM vitya and tanxiety DRK Yuuri bless thy soul

To say that Yuuri is completely distressed at the moment is an understatement.

"Yuuri."

The midlander gulped, his eyes tried to avoid the direct gaze of the Auri paladin in front of him. It didn't go well.

"You know, when you promised no secrets held between us I knew there are still some things that shouldn't come out, but..."

He timidly stole a glance at Victor's face. The paladin seemed very disappointed, first, and angry, second. A little sad, and if Yuuri was pushing it, a little rejected, too. It was a deadly combination of an angry lizard and a kicked puppy.

Naturally Yuuri didn't say that out loud.

Victor waved the rusted greatsword in his hand. "This is yours, isn't it?" he asked, to which Yuuri slowly shook his head.

"It's...n-not."

" _Yuuri_."

Yuuri winced at the same time he realized that Victor already knew, somehow. Was it because it was in his room? Or did Victor somehow extract the information from someone within the Adders?

"...yes."

There was an unsettling silence after the answer, the honest answer, came out. Victor's gleaming cerulean eyes were boring holes through Yuuri. The obsidian greatsword shone with an eerie, nostalgic light, and although it looked clean and polished, Yuuri knew it still had blood under the smallest nooks and crannies. He was never good in weapon maintenance.

"Why?"

Came the question.

Yuuri looked at the wooden floor of his room, fingers fiddling with his golden Sophic bow.

"I...i don't know. Honest."

Victor's gaze didn't leave him.

"I really don't know why i even considered the sword. I guess I was arrogant, I thought I could protect-"

"Oh, that's not what I wanted to ask, Yuuri." Yuuri blinked in confusion when he realized that Victor sounded...relaxed. He looked up, and already Victor stared at him, equally confused as Yuuri, apparently.

"I mean, why did you stop? Being a Dark Knight, that is."

"Oh."

Yes, oh.

It hit Yuuri where it was most unexpected. He had expected Victor to ask why the bard would take up the role of a dark knight - which wouldn't have been an issue if Yuuri hadn't expressed his disdain towards the infamously unpleasant role. Why he stopped was also on the list, but it had never made it high up.

"You never liked Dark Knights. That's what you said, Yuuri."

"Yes. That's what I said."

"And you used to be one."

Yuuri said nothing back.

Victor looked at the blade he was still holding, his eyes narrowing and calculating before he passed the blade back to its owner.

"I'm not sure if it's my place to ask, but will you tell me, Yuuri?"

A combination of a sad lizard and a kicked puppy. Yuuri was slowly dying inside and all he wanted was mage ballad this giant ball of scales.

The blade in his hand was heavy.

"...okay."

* * *

 

"Inner darkness takes a lot of forms," Yuuri muttered, then chuckled. "One Warrior of Light told me he had to fight an evil clone in a public match."

Victor's hand was slung around his shoulders comfortingly, as they sat side by side on Yuuri's bed. "I think I was going in and out of some severe depression with mine." Victor nodded, remembering his own initiation phase with the stone. "Voices in the head and just plain negativity."

"Mine came as nightmares."

Yuuri's hands were starting to shake. Victor noticed, but even his reassuring hand couldn't calm Yuuri enough.

"I...I never really finished my initiation." Yuuri finally admitted, before he pulled his bag and startes fishing through it. He pulled out a cloth pouch and passed it to Victor, who already recognized what it was even before it came out.

Compared to Victor's scratched and battle-worn soul stone, Yuuri's Dark Knight stone was bright and almost polished, and while Victor found it beautiful, he knew exactly that the lack of scars meant Yuuri had never really brought it into a battle. 

"I failed hard on my first duty as a Dark Knight," Yuuri said. His voice was becoming strained and low. "I didn't stop right away, but failures after failures...they just, added up, you know."

"Someone...died in your watch?"

"Not...yet. Someone would, eventually, so I stopped."

The stone felt cold in Victor's hand. He offered it back to Yuuri, who hesitated for a bit, but finally relented as he carefully held it in his hands.

"Sometimes I wonder why I still have this around." the bard muttered. "I know I'm not going to become one for a long time. I'm....I'm not strong enough. Not good enough. If I don't get killed first, my dark side would kill me any moment."

If they had paid attention, they'd notice a weak pulsing light from inside the pristine stone.

If Yuuri had paid attention he would have noticed Victor's scandalized expression.

"Yuuri," Victor shifted his body and leaned to Yuuri. He extended his hand to Yuuri's face, cupped his somber expression with his fingers, and gently tilted the face so their eyes met. "I wasn't going to ask, and you don't have to answer, but."

He hesitated.

"Why did you become a Dark Knight?"

* * *

 

The big surprise came crashing down one lazy evening.

"Starting today, Yuuri, I'm going to train you into the best Dark Knight in the realm."

The dining room fell silent as Victor marched in with a glowing set of healer's attire. The sharpened cane of the White Tsar was snugly hanging against his back ("when did he have time to get it," Guang-Hong innocently asked while everyone were blinded by its grace).

His broad smile and the dramatic extended hand betrayed the hell that broke loose following the announcement.

Yurio almost broke his staff. Phichit ran out of words. Chris actually offered a silent clap that almost rivalled Otabek's dutiful applause. Seung-Gil was all 'about damn time', but he was inwardly  _shook._

 

Yuuri dropped his Pork Cutlet Bowl.

(He cried afterwards for many reasons.)


	8. Daughter, be the Bearer of My History

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phichit Chulanont welcomes you to Episode Eight of the History Makers' Let's Raid!! live linkshell show, proudly presented by the History Makers FC and supported by the ever illustrious Garlond Ironworks Third Tech Department. This is a bring your own food show, but please don't make a mess on the ground or Seung-Gil might kick you out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's something different (lol)
> 
> I had an alternate take of episode 8 (it involves Khloe Aliapoh), but it is nearing 3000 words and still halfway done, and I was starting to lose focus on the story so I've decided to save it for a later date, so y'all get this trainwreck instead LOL... a video projection version of a linkshell is probably impossible but not everyone has the goddamn Echo and the guys in Garlond are all superb geniuses so let's suspend all senses of disbelief...
> 
> One and half month of not raiding had left me a crippled old woman unable to finish Sophia without getting Gnosis'd off the platform send help

**[ _The linkshell projection flickered alive as Seung Gil tapped the machination alive, earning an approving look from the two Garlond Ironworks apprentices who had just installed the projector. The light from the machine flickered dimly for a moment, but kept becoming brighter until a fuzzy image appeared solidly on the prepped white canvas on the wall._**

**_Across the wall-screen, a few rows of seats were filled by people, who were busy chatting with each other until the room dimmed and the image stabilized, showing the interior of the Sophia simulator battle._ **

**_The camera shifted a bit, and a familiar face entered the screen._ ]**

Hello Eorzea, and welcome to another episode of Let’s Raid!! With History Makers! Following our success in beating Sephirot in our last episode, today we will be facing the second of the three pillars, Sophia the Goddess. My name is Phichit Chulanont, black mage extraordinaire, and as usual I will be your raid companion today!

In our last few raids, we had switched some of our normal lineup with our secondary members due to schedule clashing and definitely not because our second in command was having a mini lovers’ spat with captain - _Yuuri you know it was a lovers’ spat  even Yurio said so_ **_even Seung Gil said so_ ** \- but anyway! Today, our main static lineup had returned, and we are ready for our time attack attempt!

On tank duty today are our fabulous captain Viktor Nikiforov as a Dark Knight and Otabek Altin as a Warrior!

**[ _Camera shifts to Viktor, in black and purple dyed High Allagan fending attires. Otabek, wearing the old lore warrior armours was checking his Ukonvasara-glamoured axe, and Yurio was busy checking his Shire attires for any unwanted kinks. Yuuri was clad in Alexandrian gears, as well as Chris and JJ, while Georgi apparently liked the Dravanian rogue attires. The camera shifted to show Phichit, who was wearing a Valkyrie casting set himself._ ] **

Now, we all know that Viktor is famous as a paladin, so why the change of the mind, I hear you ask! There are a few reasons for the role switch, some better than the others, but one of them would happen to be Yuuri Katsuki, who had _very recently_ took up the blade of a Dark Knight in training - cue the applause please as we welcome a new rookie tank in our ranks! Victor had expressed that he wishes to show Yuuri the glory of, I quote, _proper tanking_ , end quote. Unfortunately as today’s success in breaking _our_ own time attack record depends on our best performance, Yuuri will not be tanking _today_ , but you bet I’ll track his _entiiiiire_ progress in recording! No complaints, Yuuri!

Meanwhile, Otabek today will be going as a warrior, as usual, in order to supply as much damage as possible for the party. There were plans of him forgoing his usual choice of an axe for a blade and a shield, as he wishes to practice his own self-sufficiency - according to the man himself, but it wasn’t beneficial for our current goal, unfortunately... Rumours has it this has something to do with our Yurio’s outburst in our last raid, where a mishap had almost led to grievous injury on young Otabek-

**[ _The camera shook and Phichit was thrown out from the frame for a moment, before he returned shortly with a visible bruise on his cheek._ ]**

\- apologies for the slight disturbance - Yurio didn’t take too well to the rumours circulating, apparently…

Now! On healing duty, we have our usual Yurio Plisetsky and Christophe Giacometti as White Mage and Astrologian, respectively. We initially wanted Yurio to go as a Scholar to help dish out some extra damage, but he insisted that his more advanced healing techniques as a white mage would help more than his Scholarly arsenal…

As for our Damage Dealer roster, we have our resident Voidsent Minuet Yuuri Katsuki, who is unfortunately fully sober tonight as he had somehow dodged _all_ attempts of giving him a spiked drink. Such a pity- ow, _ow_ , Yuuri stop smacking me with the bow! Geez...where was I before Yuuri went lethal on me? Ah, right - damage dealers! After Yuuri, we have JJ, our resident dragoon and the current record holder for the biggest number of total damage delivered in the span of thirty minutes in our entire linkshell! He’s looking good today, so hopefully there will be no floor tanking happening!

Today’s ninja duty is taken by our all-rounder damage dealer Georgi Popovich, who by the way had just scored himself a new date earlier this week, ladies and gentlemen! Congratulations on finally finding a new love, Georgi - may this new state of mind reflects itself in your performance today too! Love you, loverboy, _mwah_ ! And last but not least, yours truly is _the_ nuker in the party - holder of the record of most damage dealt in a _single hit_ , Black Mage duty, Phichit Chulanont!

Our introductions are done, and I think everyone is prepared now, if the polished glow of Yurio’s staff is an indicator! The captain has just began our usual 30-seconds countdown and he’s already holding his trusty Sharpened Guillotine of the Tyrant...which is _yet_ another advanced Anima Series weapon that we’ve seen him hold now. The Twin Thegns, The cane of the White Tsar, I _know_ Victor has a Bow of the Autharch and now the Guillotine too! Is there an end to this fearsome man’s feats!? Oh -- our countdown has just broke the 10-seconds mark now…

 

_( - phase 1 begins - )_

 

No signs of Grit stance from our Dark Knight so looks like Warrior Altin will be taking center stage, while Victor will currently concentrate on helping us rake some extra damage, anddddd we are _engaging_ Sophia now, ladies and gentlemen! A tactful Foe’s Requiem straight from the start by Bard Katsuki, and that is _much_ appreciated, boss-o! Plisetsky’s stoneskin quickly shed from Altin’s body after that Thundara, but at this point there seems to be little need of it so far, and our resident whitemage is joining in the offensive for now with some well-placed Aero-

**[ _the camera view had shifted into something akin to first person mode, as Phichit probably put the vision-mode linkshell near his eyes to allow him to move around freely. The camera view shifted from Sophia’s front view to the Southwest corner of the platform, where the Daughter’s head had just appeared_. _When she blew Gnosis towards the other end there was a significant shake on the camera, but there no one in the party fell into the chasm underneath._ ]**

We have just cleared the first death trap of the phase! Our damage is piling fast as the entire party concentrates on hitting Sophia - the triple regen stack is working wonders in keeping Altin’s health in check, indeed! Oh, oh, _oh_ Sophia is currently charging and I can see the Aetherial tethers around her - our next death trap is incoming! Naturally as we’ve been doing this a few times now everyone is all used to this Execution steps. _Hear the echoes of truth_ , she says, although Yuuri swore on his bow that he hears her speak in an entirely different language sometimes. Probably tipsy - _whooops_ , that was close! I was _this_ close to being thrown off the platform by Aero.

**[ _Phichit’s fingers appeared on screen, pinching until there was only a slight gap between his thumb and index._ ]**

My bad, Yurio! Everyone is now going into position now and - _look at that echoes hitting no one_!

 

_( - phase 2 begins - )_

 

Sophia had just disappeared now, people, and we are entering phase two-point-oh with Cloudy Heavens and Sophia’s three slaves! So quick! Our last record during this phase was clearing within sixty seconds - we are now aiming for fifty and under. With Altin on the first demiurge and Victor on the third, we are currently burning the second demiurge and- _oh shit JJ!_ The man was unfortunate enough to get blitzed by Second Demiurge’s spark, and looks like he will be out of the fray for a moment, but that’s okay! Georgi’s Raiton hit the Second cleanly, and absolutely Raiton time too!

**[ _The camera shakes again as Phichit runs to stack with the rest of the party behind the Second Demiurge, as he visibly charged an attack before he hurled his spears and created a three-way shockwave explosion. The Gnostic Rant was successfully avoided._ ]**

We are now entering the riskiest part of this transition phase, and- _OH SHIT KENOMA_ -

**[ _The camera visibly pushed away from the Third Demiurge, and it wobbled - Phichit had just got hit by a Horizontal Kenoma, which almost pushed him off the platform_. ]**

_AAAAAH--_ hhhhh no, I’m good. Huzzah! Thal’s balls, that was _close…_ Now, for the sake of mechanics, today we have decided to do the mechanics the way it _should_ be ran, and that includes the next zombifying skewer thing... As I have personally joined a few public groups myself- _everybody lines up between the Third and Georgi now please THAT INCLUDES YOU JJ_ \- but people usually just let someone turns into a zombie brain, and that’s kinda sad, you know. We’re lining up cleanly now, and - _score!_ Yurio and Chris are doing their job as we run to the corner of the platform in anticipation to the incoming Scales of Revelation. Our health is up, our wounds are closing, Victor’s _absolutely_ trying to steal a hug and _oh my god we are tipping now_ ! Welcome to the wonderful world of Phase Two- nono _nono_ Yuuri watch out- oh, nice safe Captain!

**[ _The camera suddenly turned white as a bright explosion of light took over the entire screen_ ]**

…

…….

 

_( - phase 3 begins - )_

 

**[ _The static buzzed back alive as the screen cleared, and once again Phichit’s voice was heard through the noise. The party had continued engaging against Sophia, with everyone standing on the corner they were on before the explosion happened, safe for Otabek who was holding Sophia’s gaze away from the rest of the party._ ]**

Gods, I _hate_ that part, it ruins a perfectly good shot all the time! Anyway, we have safely entered the second phase in record time, minus that one time when Yuuri was so drunk we literally _skipped_ everything from Execution to the first Sin and Punishment. I think he was so intoxicated it actually threw Sophia off balance. _Ha._ That said, Yuuri's Wanderer's Minuet game is very on point today! Is this because your Bonding day is coming close, Yuuri-- YUURI YOUR TARGET IS SOPHIA NOT ME! You're cute when you blush but please focus on the task on hand??

We are now entering phase two with the entire first Quasar onslaught skipped, and _Chris is that a double balance I see you pulled??_ Go, you lovely man! Thundara is as easy as always to avoid now that we _know_ to expect it instead of her usual doughnut thunder wave, but always pay attention to tethers, tethers, tethers -- like the one that had just appeared above us!

 **[** _**Phichit runs, shaking the camera a bit as he joined his party at the very edge of the platform on one side. The scales tipped, roughly tumbling the party to the other side of the platform as Sophia rushed to the other direction next to them. Phichit managed to avoid a beam of condensed light coming from the Daughter, but JJ and Yuuri were not as lucky.** _ ]

Ohhh that looks like it hurt! But they don’t look _too_ injured, thankfully. No, JJ, you're okay, you're not kissing the ground yet. Or did you? Come on man that was just a ticklish bad breath, don't let it get to you! Chris had just thrown his first balance of the fight now and clearly the man is interested in me, ha, because I have just got a singular double potency balance! Mucho gracias, Chris! Clearly I should stop speaking now and concentrate on nuking shit, but look at all the critical Firajas I give, man! _Yuuri that is one rad backflip you just did there it’s almost as good as JJ’s flips!_

Sophia shining green now, and witness as our two tanks switches aggro with flawless execution as usual. _Beautifully done!_ Otabek had taken the damage with grace and Victor is handling the transition as finely as usual, too. Next up following that nasty buster should be Sin and Punishment, and I see Yuuri is already sticking together with his _husbando_ at the front there, so quick! Yurio, stop trying to run away from JJ -- hi Becky! Chris, looking good with Georgi there!

The balance of sin and punishment had been maintained and it’s time for-w _hoooooa_ the Daughter is popping already! Did we just skip half of that phase? Because I think we just did! Yes Victor, we are _amazing_ oh my Nymeia! Unfortunately the sudden skip must have surprised JJ since he had just been blown straight off the platform--not! I don’t know if Yurio will forgive himself after this but Kitten _THAT WAS AN IMBA SAFE_. How did you think of hooking him in with your staff!? Anyway, that world record safe had saved us a hella lot of damage loss, and we are back to the offensive as we catch up to yet another Quasar set, which is going smoothly so far…

I’d say we should be closing to the end at this point, judging with the recent outburst of sin-punishment, quasars and daughter’s bl- _COUGH-_ sorry, Yurio! What’s our time, Seung-Gil?

**[ _Seung-Gil looked at the chronometer on the wall, then at the note he scribbled on his arm. He tapped his own linkshell and muttered a number into it, which Phichit received glowingly._ ]**

Seven minutes?  _Seven_ _?_ That battle felt way longer than it was then, though I guess I could credit it to my dry mouth...what do you mean I talk too much, Yurio!? --not you too, Yuuri!? Oh come on guys the people loves me for this golden tongue of mine- _SHIT GUYS THREE CINTAMANIS back to the center_ ! Is she not going down yet? _Why_ is she not going down yet?? Yuuri why are you still sober come on man get drunk and stab her head with your bow or something! Tell Victor to get out of Grit already - oh, he already did? Oo-o-okay then _why is she still not going down_ ? I can feel the aether pulsing in my veins man can I _nyoom_ her now? I may? Wait - you’re letting me drop meteor on her!?

**[ _The screen shifted and shows Phichit’s face, burning with excitement and glee as he positioned the screen to capture the entire platform somehow. He probably passed the visual linkshell to one of the other members - a quick survey on the fight at the background revealed that it was probably Chris he gave it to._ ]**

Ladies and gentlemen, today you shall witness the creation of history- _oh come on Victor we’re like an entire minute ahead of schedule anyway_ -ugh _FINE_ , I’ll drop it now! Here’s your under-eight-minutes clear!

**[ _Phichit raised his Shire rod, which took a sinister glow as it took surplus aether from the other seven members, before he slammed it onto the ground and opened his arms. From above, a crack split open through the ceiling as a gigantic meteor slowly descended from the sky, emitting a massive pressure that somehow spared the party of eight from its damage. The camera shook, and before long a blast of light and static hid the platform from the audience._ ]**

….

……

 

* * *

 

When the camera finally returned to focus, the party was already celebrating a victory, somehow coming unscathed from Phichit's Meteor limit break. Victor was hugging everyone, making Yurio scream in protest as he was the smallest one in the fray. The linkshell had returned to Phichit's hand in the explosion of light, as he held it up high in his hand so everyone was visible in the screen. He was grinning widely, and clearly he was proud for more than simply clearing the fight quickly.

"We defeated Sophia in less than eight minutes - and a  _black mage_ gets to dish his ultimate attack!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did a little liberty with the sequences of Sophia's battle in this, but most of it reflects what is to be expected in the arguably easiest EX primal battle in Heavensward (and the only one I can consistently clear to date LMAO). Hopefully. Thanks Angered/MTQ's text guide for providing me the guidance I need when I can't go online, and especially for providing time stamps so I can predict their time attack clear time. 
> 
> I think we normally spend anywhere between nine to thirteen minutes in a good fight against Sophia, up to fifteen in a functional public party, so a little under eight should be impressive enough to please even Yurio. Maybe. And BLM LIMIT BREAK HECK YAAAAAS ٩(╬ʘ益ʘ╬)۶


	9. I Want to be Your World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a reason why Yuuri is Victor's right hand man. There's a reason why they're getting bonded. There was never any clarity on who was pining on who first. No one asks anymore nowadays because it's no longer relevant.
> 
> But the history is always there, and sometimes they find themself thinking back.
> 
> Or, a recount of the so-called fateful meeting in the Binding Coil of Bahamut, four years ago.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel so bloody sappy. Who's a violently hopeless romantic not-grown up tired with life? You are shhh *coos self* Also bards can totally cure shhhh. Also modified the chapter a bit to lowkey hint at Yurio and Chris being part of Viktor's party, and Phichit being one of Yuuri's party is almost a given (lol)

"Victor, look at this!" Yuuri held out a dusty large bow in his hand, at which Victor beamed happily.

"Is that your old Dreadwyrm bow?"

"It is! Aa, this brings back so much memory!"

There were dust balls and spiderwebs tangled on their hair, face and hands, but in the past hour the two had been laughing and cooing in nostalgia as they ripped apart the storage room in a massive spring cleaning. Even though it was winter.

Seung-Gil wasn't pleased when the twins(?) crashed an entire shelf when they went looking for an old armor ("You could've just asked for the retainers," he said disdainfully), but apparently the incident had made half the company feeling like going back to the past too. It didn't take long for the others to leave Yuuri and Victor in the storage room alone though, both on Phichit's insistence and the fact that apparently Yuuri Katsuki is a sappy man with the romance quotient equal to that of a Sharlayan poet. Which, if the volumes of Sharlayan poetries dedicated to a godsdamned _celery stick_ is indicating, is clearly saying something.

"Excalibur and Aegis." Victor fondly gazed at his old weapons. "It took me great lengths to get these two weapons, it was almost sad to part ways with them."

"Ah right...you went the long way round to start on your Anima series, didn't you?"

"Yes," Victor nodded to Yuuri. "The sentimental value was a little bit too much for me. Nothing beats the original stuff, after all."

"True," Yuuri laughed. At some point he had his own Yoichi bow, but he had traded it to Syndony to get the Berimbau. "I suppose I move on too quickly."

"You never took up Gandiva."

"I like my current one better," Yuuri looked at his Sophic bow. "It's a little less firepower than the current anima series, but I like the size and how it fits in my hand." he paused, then blushed. "And I'm too lazy."

Victor laughed.

"Oh, look - a dreadwyrm tonban." Yuuri blinked as he pulled out the offending piece of cloth. "This is yours?"

"Ye olden whitemage attire."

"Huh," Yuuri looked at the white pants. "What did you wear these with? I don't remember you ever having the top piece."

"Just the pants."

Yuuri stared at Victor judgingly.

"What? Glamour crystals exists..."

The bard shook his head, but smiled anyway. "You're unbelievable." He commented, before he took out another clothing. "My old Adder set! Can't believe we still have them..."

"That's what you wore when we met in the coils, right?"

"Yeah," Yuuri gazed fondly at the tattered leather and ramie pieces. "It's unfortunate that I've pretty much outranked these garbs. I'd love to wear these again..."

His words just hung in the air, as Yuuri stared at the standard serpent uniform. His smile had faltered, as his eyes stared at something invisible.

"On second thought," he breathed, "I don't really want to, I guess."

Yuuri's dejected smile was almost more like a wince, and it didn't take Victor long to notice the bard's change of mood.

"Yuuri...?"

He scuttled closer to Yuuri, and his eyes widened when he saw tears pooling at the corner of Yuuri's eyes. "Y-Yuuri-?"

"You...you almost died back then." Yuuri managed to say, between sobs. "I...I'm- I'm sorry-"

"Hey, hey, shh-" Victor's hands gently cupped Yuuri's face, nuzzling them comfortingly as he made Yuuri look straight at him. "Yuuri, there. I'm alive and kicking here now, aren't I?"

"But still..."

"I look back at that time fondly, you know," Victor mused, with a smile on his face. "We met there. Almost dying was a fair price for what I get out of it, since, you know, it wasn't fully dying...?"

Yuuri stared at him, frozen.

Then he bawled.

Victor mentally slapped himself.

 

* * *

 

"Take care of your steps."

The party leader warned them as they entered the ancient Allag starship. At the depth of 1233 yalms, the remains of the Dalamud chunk was still filled with old Allag machineries and aetherial creatures that had somehow invaded the place following the shitstorm brought by the first Warrior of Light excursion. At some point the coils also became a repeat earthquake site, with sudden tremors happening from time to time.

"Captain Volens," First Serpent Sergeant Yuuri Katsuki called out to the lancer-scholar. "With all due respect, sir, but...is it just me or is the maelstrom contingent a little different than what we were informed before? I didn't see Corporal Brunwylt on our way down at all."

"Right, I must've forgotten to inform you." the captain coughed. "But yes, the corporal called sick earlier, so Sergeant Third Class Nikiforov will be joining us instead."

"Ni...kiforov?"

The elezen lancer chuckled. "The maelstrom's poster boy, I'm sure you've noticed." Yuuri nodded. The name Nikiforov hadn't been around for too long, but apparently the man was a natural fighter with wells of charisma to back him up. Yuuri had never seen the man in person, so he really was wondering if the man's pictures was truly representative of the man himself.

"They should be here anytime." Volens told his three subordinates. "Stand straight."

When the Maelstrom group finally appeared, Yuuri scratched his eyes.

It was obvious which one among the four was  _the_ Nikiforov. The Auri paladin, clad in Maelstrom red and black, towered far above his miqo'te companions (and still slightly taller than his elezen friend), with hair silver-white like the purest Radz-at-han salt crystals and ivory horns lined with intricate carvings and protective jewels.

Put simply, Victor Nikiforov was  _amazing._

Captain Volens had to elbow Yuuri out of his little trance before he greeted one of the miqo'te maelstrom, an arcanist, who Yuuri recognized as one Captain S'hori Tia. But Yuuri's gaze kept lingering towards the red-black paladin, despite the giggles directed to him from his other two colleagues.

"Sergeant Katsuki."

Yuuri blinked, and then he noticed the subject of his gaze standing right in front of him. He gasped, and the funny look on the Au Ra's face was probably from his blush.

"Pleasure to meet you." the paladin said in impeccable Eorzean that would make Yuuri's ancestors cry slander from its smoothness. He offered Yuuri a storm salute, which the bard returned with a serpent bow. "Nikiforov."

"Pleasure to meet you too, sergeant." Yuuri almost stuttered. "I, um, we've heard much about you."

The laugh that the Au Ra let out almost made Yuuri dizzy.  _Is this what it's like to fall in love at the first sight?_ Yuuri wondered, as the paladin asked Yuuri to call him with his given name instead.

 

* * *

 

"So, you were an Othard native."

Somehow, for better or worse, Yuuri found himself talking with Victor a lot as they scaled down the Ragnarok wreckage. They'd part occasionally as enemies ambush them, with Victor holding the front line as Yuuri rained death from behind, but when they had the chance, somehow they always end up walking side by side.

"Quite so. My father was Eorzean, but I was born in Hasetsu. Um, South-East of the capital. They still live there today, running an onsen and an inn."

"Onsen?"

"Hot spring." Yuuri translated. "Were you not born in Othard?"

"My parents are second-generation immigrants, hidden away in the Coerthas ranges until lady Yugiri came bringing our Doman bretherns" Victor explained. "My grandparents were from the North East, but I was born here in Eorzea by Eorzean-borns. I lack quite a lot of prequisite Far Eastern knowledge to be called one."

"I see."

"Tell me about these onsens!"

Yuuri hummed, as he brought up the picture of his family's inn into his mind. "Well, it's a really pleasant experience. They say natural hot springs like ours has potent rejuvenative properties that can improve your complexion." He fondly smile as he recalled the soothing heat of the pooling water on his skin. "Even if it actually doesn't, it still feels great to take a dip regardless."

As they talked, none of the eight noticed the looming Allagan clockwork trooper waiting for them from a crack on the wall. The whirring noise the machine made was drowned out by the sound of the generator down below.

Thus, it came as a big surprise when the Allagan trooper jumped out to them, hitting Victor and Yuuri away from the rest of the party.

"Sergeant Katsuki!" "Vicky!"

They shouted in horror as the bard and the paladin rolled close to the edge of the platform. The generator was still seven levels away from where they were, but who knew where they would land if they fell?

As if on the cue, a tremor suddenly shook the entire place, dropping Yuuri, Victor, and the Allagan machination off the ledge.

 

* * *

 

 

Somehow, Yuuri and Victor survived the fall, despite falling a clean five levels without anything soft to break their fall. Their aggressor, however, survived the fall as well and they were stuck having to fend off the frenzied machine by just the two of them.

Eventually, with a clean slash from Victor's sword, the machine soldier fell limp on the metal floor. They both leaned on the wall, breathing roughly as they tried to compose themselves.

"Well, that was..."

They looked at each other for a moment before breaking into a laugh.

"That wasn't too fun."

"No, it wasn't."

Yuuri's laugh turned into a worried gasp when Victor suddenly winced in pain. "Victor-you're hurt!" his eyes widened when he saw a metal splinter lodged in Victor's abdomen. Horror washed over him when he realized it probably came off the Allag machine when he shot a careless Bloodletter to one of its looser joints. There was blood trickling out from the injury, which only made Yuuri panic more.

"No-nonono-"

"Yuuri I'm fine-"

"No you're not!" Yuuri screamed at Victor, his hands shaking as they hovered over the atrocious chunk of Allagan metal. "Shit," he mumbled as Victor hissed when he touched the metal piece a little too hard. " _Shit._ "

"Yuuri, calm down." Victor huffed, before he fell sitting on the floor as his legs gave in. The pain stung through him, making him moan in pain and not helping Yuuri calm down at all. "Can you do curative spells?"

"I-I-"

"Yuuri."

Yuuri's wavering eyes locked into contact with Victor's, and for a moment it was as if he was hypnotized into calming down. "Y..yes," he finally answered. "It's nothing like a proper healer's but i can conjure a bit."

"Good. Get ready."

"What?"

" _Trust me._ "

Yuuri didn't even have the chance to gasp when Victor yanked the metal scrap out from his side with a determined growl. Blood was suddenly gushing from the now open wound, and if he wasn't in pain earlier, he definitely was _now._

"Now!"

It was the most intense Cure Yuuri had ever conjured in his life.

 

* * *

 

 

"You did a good job back then," Victor mused, as he leaned on Yuuri's shoulder. Their little winter cleaning had been abandoned in favour of reminiscing and calming Yuuri's guilt away, sitting side by side on a cleaned corner in the room. The light entering the small room from the window had dimmed as noon changed to evening, and it was probably cloudy outside.

"It left a scar, didn't it?" Yuuri mumbled, his face buried between his knees. Victor fondly smiled, as he took Yuuri into an embrace and laid his head in Yuuri's hair.

"It's a scar of glory."

"You almost died. Because of me."

"You saved my life in the end."

Yuuri tilted his head slightly upwards to see Victor's smile, before he wrapped his arms around his knees. There was a hesitant, but real smile forming on his face.

"I...guess I did, didn't I."

"That's more like it." Victor chuckled. "You know, I don't know how to explain it, but...I knew for sure I could trust you with my life since that day. Even though we only met for the first time there."

Their eyes locked on each other again, and yuuri couldn't help but remember that day again, clear as the light of the mother crystal. But somehow, he felt no fear. Just.

Peace.

Calm.

He smiled, and buried his head in the crook of Victor's shoulders, sighing contently when Victor gently ruffled his hair.

"Me too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Plot twist they just linked with each other on the spot because they both had the Echo HAHAHAAH jk man they're just that bloody romantic cries


End file.
